Improvement in horseshoes



2 Sheets--SheeL N. lcLoUsE.

Improvement in Horseshoes 540.130,019. Patentedmyao, 1m.

2 Sheets--Sheet 2. N.CLOUSL Improvement in Horseshoes.

No. 130,019, Patemd'1u1y3m172.

nr, 10TH/#inmune camxfossaR/qi (Pnucsss) NITED STATES NOAH OLOUSE, OF VALLEY GROVE, WEST VIRGINIA.

IMPROVEMENT ION HORSESHOES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 130,019, dated July 30, 1872.

SPECIFICATION. To all @cham it may concern:

Be it known that I, None: GLoUsE, of Val-v ley G rrove, county of Ohio and State of West Virginia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Horseshoes, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

Figure l is a topplan view of the shoe detached. Fig.^2isa"similr view, with a portion of the hoof shown in section to illustrate the operation of my improvement. Fig. 3 is a side view of the rear part of a shoe made on my plan. Fig. 4 is a plan view, illustrating the manner of spreading the shoe after it has been applied to the foot.

As is Well known, horses suffer much and are greatly injnredby having their hoois at the heel compressed. It is to remedy this ditticnlty, and to atl'ord a means of relieving animals thus injured, that my improvement is designed.

To accomplish this I make my improved shoe of the usual form, exceptthat I prefer to have it more flat or less inclined inwardly on its upper face, and -at the heel, on both sides, I make a vertical projection, B, as shown in the several iigures. This projection B I make at the extreme rear end or heel of the shoe, and directly over the hind calks, as represented in Fig. 3. When iitted to the horses foot this projection B is to be led or cnt away on its outer vertical face, on an incline from front to rear, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and as indicated by the lines ein Fig. l, these lines indicating the various or diii'erent angles at which they are to be out to iit the feet of diii'erent horses or mules.

The object of thus forming the shoe is to have these inclined projections B lit against the inner face ofthe hoof, at the heel on each side, as represented in Fig. 2, the horses foot, as is well known, being more or less inclined at the heel on each side, as represented in Fig. 3.

W ith a shoe thus formed and applied to the foot, it will be seen that not only is it prevented froin becoming, contracted across vthe heel in consequence of the hoof on each side being held out by these projections B, but also that as the foot grows and increases in length it is crowded back on the shoe, and as it is thus crowded back the inclined portion of the hoof at the rear, acting against the outer or inclined faces of the projections B, tends to spread or expand the rear portion ofthe hoof, thus preventing them from becoming contracted, and also tending to aiiord relief to those which have already become contracted.

In cases Where the feet have become badly contractedI first secure the shoe with the projections B on it, as above described, and then expand the hoof more or less by spreading the shoe after it is nailed fast. For this purpose I provide an implement, D, represented in Fig. 4. This implement consists of two levers, one of Which is provided with a shoulder, a, to engage against the heel of the shoe on one side, While the other is provided with a series of notches, fi, to engage with the opposite side; the levers or handles being pivoted together by a bolt, and having a series of holes, by which the levers may be adjusted to snit shoes of different Widths. By apply` ing this implement thus after the shoe is secured to the foot the heel can be spread to any desired extent and I have found by experience that horses can be thus greatly relieved and their feet and gait much improved.

I am aware that it has been proposed to make a horseshoe with a flat spur or projection on its upper side, standing parallel with the outer wall of the hoot', said spur being arranged to engage against the inner Wall of the hooi" at some distance in front of the inclined rear portion of the hoof, and I do not claim such; but I am not aware that a shoe has ever before been provided With the beveled or inclined projections arranged to oper- Y ate as herein described.

Having thus described my invention, 4what I claim is- A horseshoe provided with the inclined projections B, said projections being arranged to bear against the inclined portions of the hoof at its heel, as herein set forth.

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I have subscribed my naine hereto this 22d day of November, 1871.

- NOAH CLOUSE.

Witnesses D. S. EneLnsoN, M. D., Units. Donennnrv. 

